The popularity of recreational cycling has grown substantially in recent years. As a result, the demand for bicycle carriers to transport bikes on cars and other vehicles also has grown. There are various types of vehicle-mounted bicycle carriers available. One type is mountable on the trunk or other rear portion of a vehicle to carry one or more bicycles adjacent the rear of the vehicle. Typically, those carriers include support arms to support one or more bicycles. A problem with some of the rear-mounted carriers, however, is that the support arms of those carriers are too far apart to accommodate certain types of bicycles, such as children's bicycles and bicycles with unusual frame structures.
Reducing the size of the rear-mounted carrier may bring the support arms closer and allow that carrier to accommodate more types of bicycles. Smaller carriers are, however, less stable than their larger counterparts. Reduced stability may cause the carriers to sway or become misaligned while maneuvering the vehicle possibly resulting in damage to the bikes and/or the vehicle.